Michael Tait, second from left, talks about change in the Christian music industry.

Michael Tait performed at the Dove Awards last week and the former DCTalk member talked about being a pioneer in changes to the Christian music world.

“I’m excited when things change,” Tait said. “It’s a tremendous calling. It’s exciting to see someone like Jamie Grace come along. I love that we are all mixed together. I try to remain relevant. You know music is very powerful. Sometimes the only way to get through to a kid is through the headphones.”

Tim Tebow presented a Dove Award for the first Uplift Someone Award on Wednesday at the Fox Theater in Atlanta. ~ Photo by Eliza Marie Somers

Taking a break from figuring out how to train and prepare for the next NFL season during the lockout, Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow took a timeout to be a part of the Gospel Music Association’s Dove Awards in Atlanta on Wednesday night. (The Dove Awards will be aired Easter on the Gospel Music Channel.)

At the historic Fox Theater on Peachtree Street, Tebow, wearing a light blue and white pinstripe seersucker blazer, presented the first Dove Uplift Someone Award to Steven Curtis Chapman and his wife Mary Beth for their involvement with adoption issues and their Show Hope ministry.

The writers for the show could not resist Tebow’s link to the Florida Gators and their SEC rivals, the Georgia Bulldogs, in this college football hotbed.

“I’m honored to be in Georgia,” Tebow said as he greeted the audience. “Well, you know, we didn’t have too many problems with Georgia, so it’s OK.”

Sherri Shepherd is the host of the 2011 Dove Awards at the Fox Theater in Atlanta. ~ Photo by Eliza Marie Somers

Sherri Shepherd of “The View” light up the media room backstage at the Dove Awards at the Fox Theater in Atlanta.

Dressed in a vibrant purple dressed that was draped in the front, the Emmy Award winner was bursting by the fact she was at the Dove Awards.

“This is my first Dove Awards and hopefully not my last. I’m taking singing lessons,” she said. “The first thing I’m saying on stage is ‘I love Jesus,’ and I don’t have to worry about that three-second bleep.”

She said she is looking forward to hearing and meeting TobyMac, Mary Mary, Natalie Grant Kirk Franklin among others.

Shepherd explained that Natalie Grant’s song “Held” has a special meaning for her. Shepherd would hold her baby boy, who was born premature and did not have a good prognosis at the time. “That song just helped me through,” she said.

On “The View” the relationships among the hosts is like “sisters.”

“Do you have a sister?” Shepherd asked. “Then you know how our relationship is. We respect each other. We know we cannot because it would implode.”

Mandisa came backstage to the media room at the Dove Awards at the Fox Theater in Atlanta.

The American Idol “loser” looks great. Since her time on Idol she has lost 120 pounds, but not because of pressures from the “Hollywood” world. She says she lost the weight as a tribute to God.

“Our bodies are the temple of God, and I wanted to honor that,” she said.

Her new CD “What If We Were Real” was a long journey for the singer. She said she cried and really learned to walk with the Lord.

“I’m a different person from when we started the CD,” she said. “I took off my mask before God. I went through a period where I didn’t trust the Lord, and I was real with him about it. And He has brought me to a place where I am ultra dependent on Him.”

TobyMac’s “Tonight” garnered the Dove Award for Rock/Contemporary Album of the Year. It was his 12th Dove outside of DC Talk.

“It’s amazing to work with people that you love. Especially when they tell you the truth, even when it hurts,” Toby McKeehan said. “God just keeps delivering songs to me.”

When asked about the hip-hop Christian movement breaking into mainstream media. TMac said: “We should be out there. Gospel has always been ahead of us, penetrating the wall of mainstream.”

McKeehan stressed that less is more when he writes music.

“I’ve always written real simply,” he said. “I like to be out there and use people for my inspiration — be it laughing or fighting. I just ask God to keep breathing songs into me. God just keeps delivering and I’m going to keep on.”

There is a tie in one of the first categories presented at the Dove Awards at the Fox Theater in Atlanta.

Sandi Patty’s “The Edge of the Divine” and Patty Griffin’s “Downtown Church” tied for Inspirational Album of the Year.

Some of the other early award winners are: Israel Houghton for “Love God, Love People,” for Contemporaty Gospel Album of the Year; Chris August for “No Far Away” for Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year; Gaither Vocal Group for “Better Day” in the Southern Gospel Recorded Song of the Year; Lizzie Long and Little Roy Lewis for “Mountaintop” in the Bluegrass Recorded Song of the Year; and The British are Coming for “Wait on the Lord” in the Urban Recorded Song of the Year.

Hello from Atlanta. Or HOTlanta as it’s known. For the first time the Dove Awards will be presented at the historic Fox Theater in downtown Atlanta. The new venue is a beautiful old theater where “Gone With the Wind” was first shown to the Atlanta audience.

I just found out the Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow will be one of the presenters tonight. (The Gospel Music Channel will air the Doves on Easter). I’ve been promised a one-on-one interview with Tim. I’ll keep you posted.

Also I’ll keep you posted on Denver-based band Gungor. Michael Gungor and his wife are nominated Rock/Contemporary Song of the Year.

I’m a Denver Post sports copy editor, who covers Christian music in my spare time. I’m a rocker at heart. Grew up listening to Led Zeppelin, The Who ... classic rock is what they call it now. I was introduced to Christian rock by my cousin, Sharon. My first Christian rock experience was Atlanta Fest when I saw this new group — Third Day — playing in front of about 50 people at an outdoor picnic area.